Dahlia Quilting Finished

I love this wallhanging. I worked very hard to hand piece the Dahlia. Several people I know have indicated "Hand piecing deserves hand quilting". I have never hand quilted a thing in my life. I thought I would give it a try. The ladies on the about.com quilting forum gave me great directions on how to do this. I sandwiched, I basted with pins, I bought the right needles and thread. I tried, I really did, but It looked horrible! And..... I kept thinking to myself, hand piecing deserves pretty quilting, something I knew wouldn't happen if I quilted this by hand. My son saw me trying and said, "Why are you riding a bike when you own a cadillac?" LOL He was right. I took apart the basting with pins and the quilting I had attempted and put it on the handiquilter, and machine quilted it. I like how it turned out and that is what matters truly.




Here is the full picture



I finished the center Dahlia of a second Dahlia Thursday night. I had used the scraps from this one to make the second one, but they are in a different placement.
I haven't taken a picture of that one yet.

Advent Calendar Fun?

A while back (18 months or so) I received an Advent Calendar panel from a quilting pals swap. It is cute with cats all over and lots of gold glittery looking threads. My dd saw it and asked me to make it for her. Of course, I said sure! That was a while back (17 months or so) LOL. I have looked at it several times, and read the instructions, and then procrastinated making it. Until today! Each day I read Kate's blog and see her advent calendar item for the day, and think, I really should get to that Advent calendar for Nellie. Anyway, it is done! PITA but done! And..... I went to the dread Walmart and bought a gold curtain rod hanger thing, and some pretty gold wire cord to hang on the curtain rod, and lots of candy to put in each day, including a marshmallow Santa for the last day. Enough chatter, here it is, and I like it! Amazing!
(now for the rest of the bag of goodies.... teehee)

Catching Up

Here is a top I made using some of those men's shirts from the Goodwill store. I used the shirts in the star blocks. I am thinking this may need a border out of the alternate square fabrics.



These are the segments I have done so far for Bonnie's mystery quilt, Carolina Crossroads. I haven't done the 3rd step of 100 more 9 patches, minus the red squares. Maybe tomorrow, I will get going on those. She said we have 2 weeks, so I am procrastinating. Yes, I do procrastinate...... sometimes.....

Four Seasons Quilt Swap

I have almost finished my quilt for this swap. I need to sew the binding down by hand, otherwise this little quilt is finished. Honestly, I'm not sure I love this quilt, maybe it will grow on me, as right now I am tired of looking at it. It looks very simple, but it took me a long time. I don't know why though. If I still don't like it in January, I can make something different for the swap.

What Holiday are You?

I saw this on Sophie's blog and although I don't always do these things, I thought I would this time. Here are my results.

You Are Easter

You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person. Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched. You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly. For you, every day is a new chance - no matter what happened yesterday. What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations. At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out. On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone

What Holiday Are You?

Mystery Quilt Started

Bonnie has started a mystery quilt VIA her blog. I have finished the first step. Making (100)
3 1/2" square 3 rail fence blocks out of red and blues. Red is in the center, and blues on the outside. I'm hoping to make a bit bigger quilt than she has planned, so I made 120 of these units. I hope that is enough.

Another Addiction?

I've often read on Bonnie's quiltville site about her addiction to buying men's shirts and cutting them up for quilting fabric. Today, for fun, I went to the local goodwill store, and one other thrift store. The goodwill has half off a certain color tag each week. I looked through all the xxl men's long sleeve shirts and found some with the Pink tag, 1/2 price this week. They were $3.99, so at half off I got them for about two bucks. The second thrift store, I found xl short sleeve shirts for $3 each. I think all together I spent about $28. Here are my finds.




Those first two on the left are my favorites, beautiful cranberry colors. I also bought the ugliest woman's dress for $2, but I think it will make a nice red in the quilt, its on the top right in the picture below. The two lights just below the red dress are beautiful creamy colors in true life, the stack on the left are actually pretty blues. My photography today is certainly lacking.

I am so thrilled!

I participated in a swap called Twisted Mystery. Each participant sent in a bag of fabric to the hostess, who then drew names and sent the fabric out to a different participant. Each person made a quilt/wall hanging out of the mystery fabric they received. Then we all sent them back to the hostess. No one knew who they were making for, and no one knows who made their quilt yet. But..... the quilts have been posted online, and I know which one is mine. It is so AWESOME! I can't wait to see it in person. I'm showing the picture the hostess had on her webshots, as I can't wait to show it off.

Soup's On!

I love soup! I love soup with garlic cheddar bread from the Great Harvest Bread store by my work. I took the turkey and made soup base from it, and salvaged all those yummy turkey bits, added some celery, onions, sage, and two cans of cream of celery soup for good measure, some salt and pepper and voila I have soup. Well the start of it anyway, the day I take it out of the freezer and cook it back up, I will add a package of Kluske noodles. (love them)



All packaged up for the freezer



I love having a freezer full of soup, just ready to pop in the crock pot before work, or defrost quick after work. I'm getting pretty stocked up so far, chicken soup, turkey soup, beef barley, pepper rice, and gypsy goulash, oh and pork and beans for dh. I'm not a pork a beans lover myself.

Catching Up on Pictures

These are two quilts I finished last month. I have somehow failed to put them on the blog. My friend Peggy is trading me quilting time for binding time. I really do not like doing bindings and she does a wonderful wonderful job on them. I have quilted 3 quilts for her, and she has done the binding on 4 quilts for me. I owe her time. She hand stitches the bindings down, and does wonderful corners. Anyway, here is the quilt from the penny pincher 7 swap on about.com quilting forum.



And here is my quilt made from the Batik Framed Four Patch Swap, also on about.com quilting forum.




I finished the pp8 swap quilt also, but Peggy has it and is finishing up the bindings. I'll post when I get it back. That one is for my mother in law for Christmas.

Okay, Now I'm done with it for today!

The bargello kept calling my name, telling me to add the borders. Who am I to argue with the quilt, or the quilt voices.
So, I added borders. I used a funky red fabric someone had shared with me. It goes great with all the other odd fabrics in this quilt everything from paisleys to jalapeno peppers. Gotta love it.

What to do today?

This morning I was sort of at a loss of what to do today. Having 4 days off from work in a row, is kind of fun, but also, a lot of time to fill. LOL I started my day by making up about 9 more of those crumby hot pads, I used 4 crumb blocks for some and then about 5 orphan blocks from another project. They went together quickly.

NOW WHAT? I had cut up noodles I had swapped on the about.com quilting forum this past year and had sewn the first round of strips together, but decided to go ahead and finish this top up today. I used Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Bargello pattern from quiltville.com to make this lap sized quilt top. I really think it needs a border though, but I am sick of looking at it today, so the border will have to wait.

Better Picture of quilting

I think this is a better picture of the quilting I did yesterday. I really like this quilting pattern, I did it freehand, and although it isn't perfect, its good for my first try.

Crumby Hot Pads

Well, I hope they aren't crummy, but crumby is true. I made these funky little hot pads with crumb blocks I made using Bonnie's instructions on quiltville.com. I think they are fun! That is what I did Thursday, between making Thanksgiving dinner, and eating, and cleaning up, and laughing and having fun with my kids.



Then Friday, instead of shopping (Yuk!) I stayed at home with dh (it is our 2nd anniversary today btw) We did go out to breakfast, and to the post office, but otherwise, just hung out at home. I finished putting this quilt top together, and then quilted it. (pattern Chunky Churndashes from Bonnie Hunter, at quiltville.com)



Here is what I hope is a good pic of the quilting, I was trying something new. (paisely, sort of)


hmmm not a great picture, maybe tomorrow the lighting will be better outside. BTW this quilt will be given away to one of my clients at work in a drawing at our annual Christmas party.

Charity quilt from the guild

Each month at my quilt guild there is a lady who brings tops she has made from donated fabrics. She is prolific! Anyway, I always try to take a couple each month and quilt them. This month I only got one, but I love it. Its Purple! I had fun with the quilting too. Something new I tried. I snuck a couple of kitties into the quilting as a surprise for the child who will receive this quilt.




Here is a close up of quilting, with the kitties.

Flower Power

I made this cute little quilt from a pattern by Flower Basket Quilts. It is geared towards charm squares, but I used stash instead. I love how the top came out, and can't wait to quilt it. Now for a quilting idea....... hmmmmm
p.s. Don't ya just love the cute little buttons in the centers of the flowers? I do!

And no sooner than I finished one swap

I was joining another. Well, I hope I am anyway. I've requested to be included in the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. I haven't heard back from the hostess yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.

Yippee Skippeee!!!!!!! Its Here!!!

I'm so excited! Today in the mail, along with her swap blocks for pp9 swap was the little doll quilt from the Doll Quilt Swap. Ginger had my name, and she did an awesome job making a little doll quilt for me. I'm just thrilled with it. Honestly its completely perfect for me with purple, green, blue and black batiks with itty bitty pinwheels. I love it. Everybody knows I love purple, but few people would suspect I love it with green. My office is green, my living room is green, and of course there is purple everywhere! Thanks Ginger its perfect!

Here it is



Here it is on the wall with the start of my wall of little quilts

fun shopping

I've been watching for sales on fabric that will fit the bill for the 2008 noodle swaps on about.com quilting forum. Here are my most recent purchases.

two purple batiks, one black on black and five white on whites to start with


two sets of brights


Three more blues, which brings me to a total of 6


a pastel


and a paisley


My overflowing noodle swap fabric bin


On another note, I finished the last round of the dahlia and applique'd it to a background. Now to add borders and quilt it.


Here are some fun little flower blocks I've been making. I think the pattern is from Pattern Basket pattern company, it is intended for charm square packs

I used stash fabrics though.
Here is a close-up, I loved the little flower buttons in the centers

I guess that is about all I've been up to this week. Not much exciting here.

Hand Pieced Dahlia

While camping this past 10 days I hand pieced this Dahlia. I used the pattern by Becky Davis, quiltpox.com, I had fun making it. I had taken a hand piecing class from Becky in March 2007 when in North Carolina.

Noodle Swaps

Along with being addicted to swapping quilt blocks, I am also addicted to noodle swaps. Deb hosts a monthly swap on the about.com quilting forum for 2 1/2" wide strips of fabric. Each month is a different theme. She posted the swaps she is planning for 2008 the other day, and I hit the sale at my lqs. They had a bunch of discontinued fabrics marked down to $4 yd. If you finished the bolt you received an additional 20% off, which brought it to $3.20 yd. Ya just can't beat that. I ended up buying the end of 2 bolts, as they were neutrals, and you can't go wrong with that. All in all I bought 14 7/8 yds of fabric for a grand total of $53.20, These were nice fabrics from timeless treasures, benartex, etc. Here is what I purchased.

Fall colors


paisley




creams/neutrals (Deb, if these are too dark let me know and I will get some different ones)



Blues, although the blue on the far right, might end up in the pastel swap, depends on what I run across between now and then.

Doll Quilt Too much fun to stop

I have joined a doll quilt swap on the about.com quilting forum. We received our swapper's name and information today at noon. I already had decided on a pattern to use, based loosely on this pillow I have from my paternal grandmother. (I love this pillow)



Here is the fabric I chose. This person likes civil war reproduction fabrics.



I had originally purchased a fat quarter bundle of civil war fabrics, and it came with this strange little fat quarter, likely a piece of a panel. I figured I would eventually chop it up really small and use it in a scrap quilt, but today it seemed just the right thing to use on the back of this little doll quilt.



To make the center of the quilt, I sewed strips of fabric together, and then sewed the strips into tubes, and then pressed, and cut them the opposite way to make these little strips of squares. Then you unsew them at certain intervals to make the pattern. I really hate unsewing. Especially when I sewed some strips together wrong, and had to re-sew them. Oh well, these things happen.




Here is the first quarter of the quilt



The two halves, one is sewn together, one still in strips


The center of the quilt all together


The first border



The second border


The quilting on the back


The completed quilt, binding sewn on and hand sewn down.


I love how it turned out. I will be mailing it out tomorrow on my way to work. I had lots of fun making it, and I hope the recipient likes it also. Cross your fingers, this is always the scary part for me.